A 27-year-old client taking lithium for bipolar disorder cal… | MyMerci
Medical EmergenciesPA
Question
A 27-year-old client taking lithium for bipolar disorder calls the clinic after a positive home pregnancy test. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?
1Advise the client to contact the prescriber promptly to review fetal risk, relapse risk, and safer treatment planning.✓ Correct answer
2Instruct the client to stop lithium abruptly and discard the medication immediately.
3Tell the client that folic acid eliminates lithium-related fetal risk.
4Lithium is completely safe in pregnancy, so the client should continue it without calling the prescriber.
Explanation
Lithium exposure in pregnancy, especially early pregnancy, is associated with fetal cardiac risk, but abrupt discontinuation can trigger severe mood relapse. The nurse should escalate promptly for shared decision-making and medication planning rather than giving unilateral stop/continue instructions.
In-depth explanation
Caution Pregnancy questions with mood stabilizers require balanced risk thinking: fetal exposure risk and maternal relapse risk both matter. Do not advise abrupt self-discontinuation without prescriber guidance.